Târnăveni

Template:Infobox City in Romania Târnăveni (earlier Diciosânmartin in Romanian, Hungarian: Dicsőszentmárton, German: Sankt Martin, earlier Marteskirch) is a city and municipality in central Romania, county Mureş. It lies on the Târnava Mică river.

Positioning

File:IMG 0924232.JPG

Tarnava Mica Bridge

Târnăveni is crossed by the Blaj-Praid railroad, and also by DN 14A Iernut-Mediaş, DJ 117 Târnăveni-Blaj, DJ Târnăveni-Căpâlna-Ungheni and by DJ 142 Târnăveni-Bălăuşeri. Târnăveni is situated at the following distances from:

• Bucharest - 360 km
• Târgu-Mureş - 45 km
• Cluj-Napoca - 102 km
• Sibiu - 78 km
• Mediaş - 25 km
• Blaj - 36 km

History

Archaeological research has demonstrated that the presence of human communities in this area dates back thousands of years. In 1921, traces of a Neolithic settlement were discovered; a collection of 135 imperial Dinars and two silver balls were found. The place was historically certified in 1279, under the name of terra Dychen Sent Marton (Diciosânmartin), in a land relocations and ownership document.

From its founding until its incorporation into Romania with the 1920 Treaty of Trianon, the town formed part of Hungary or an independent Transylvania. In 1502, the place was mentioned as a borough (oppidum), as a part of Cetatea de Baltă fields, owned in the 15th-16th centuries by Moldavian rulers Stephen the Great, Petru Rareş and others. Since vineyards covered the majority of the cultivated land, it came to be known as the "vine country" (Weinland). For a few centuries until the half of the XX century, the city proved to be of a great regional interest, becoming even a county capital in the Kingdom of Hungary (Kis-Küküllő county), alternating this attribute with Küküllővár (today's Cetatea de Baltă) or with Balázsfalva (today's Blaj).

The last years of the 19th century and the first years of the 20th century marked the urban evolution of the place, since many administrative and social-economic buildings were erected. In 1866 it became the Kis-Küküllő county capital. It was during those years that the administrative palace and the hospital were built; the great doctor C. I. Parhon used to consult patients here, his family originating from Cetatea de Baltă. In 1912, the place was declared a city, and in 1941 it was given the name of Târnăveni.

The discovery of methane gas radically changed the city history. Gas was introduced in houses in 1915 and, after the war, a calcium carbide and calcium cyanamide factory was set up, followed by the Nitrogen company and later by a coke factory. The inhabitants brought their own contributions to the events of the 20th century, taking part in the Great National Assembly in Alba Iulia, on 1 December, 1918. In 1936, an installation of synthetic ammonia production was set in Târnăveni, the first of this type in the world. Later, the company switched to warfare production. World War II left deep traces in the lives of the inhabitants: 230 Romanian heroes are resting in the local cemetery. The small Jewish population that lived here was decimated too and the synagogue closed. After the war, the city industry witnessed a continuous development. In 1957, for the first time in the country, vinyl polychlorinate was produced here. A modern glassware factory - Gecsat - is situated in the southeast area, producing a wide range of export products.

Great historical and cultural personalities were involved in the life of Târnăveni. The coryphaeus of "Şcoala ardeleană" ("Transylvanian School"), Petru Maior, is a native of the city. Historians state that his father, Gheorghe Maior, lived in 1750 in Târnăveni, serving as a priest in the Seuca parish. During the 1848-9 Revolution, Târnăveni was part of the 3rd Legion, Cetatea de Baltă, of Avram Iancu's army. Vasile Moldovan, the great fighter for national emancipation, was the prefect. After the revolution's failure, he settled in Boziaş, where one can find his tomb. According to George Călinescu, Mihai Eminescu might have passed through Târnăveni, on his way to Blaj (1866), staying at the central wine cellar. The Hungarian composer György Ligeti was born here in 1923.

In 1962, the Museum of History was opened, having archaeology, ethnography, natural sciences and numismatics exhibits. The Unitarian Church built in gothic style in the 13th century, redecorated in 1599, (the church owns a silver glass from 1636, a silver plate and a bell dating from 1678), the wooden Christian Church, brought from the Corneşti village, whose interior was painted by Nicolae Pop. The Boziaş School was set up in 1780. Târnăveni became a municipality on the 5th of November 1998.

Population

In 2004 it had 26,300 inhabitants, making it the 84th largest city in Romania.

From official census data:

• 1977 - 26,073
• 1992 - 30,520
• 2002 - 26,537

Ethnic composition:

• 72.4% - Romanians
• 19.6% - Hungarians
• 8% - Roma (sometimes known as "Gypsies")

Touristic Objectives

The Museum

Opened in 1962, the city musem shows visitors a great collection of archeological artifacts and also many etnographic materials from Valea Târnavelor.

The Unitarian Church

Gothic-style construction, built in the XV century.

Other touristic objectives

Biserica Sfântul Gheorghe (Saint George Church)

• "Sf. Treime" cathedral, built in 1939-1940, Sf. Gheorghe church and the Catholic church.
• Only 15 km from Târnăveni towards Blaj in Cetatea de Baltă you can find a medieval castle, built in 1570-1580.
• The "Corona" forest, located on a hill facing the town between the rivers Mureş and Târnava Mică

Famous people

• Ladislau Bölöni
• György Ligeti

Sister cities

There are two sister cities:

• Hajdúszoboszló, a Hungarian city (since 1990)
• Ronchin, a French city (since 1998)